This pdf document contains individual summaries for every scene in Act 3 of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Unlike Spark notes, none of the scenes are grouped together, so you’ll get enough detail for each scene while still significantly cutting down your reading time as compared to rea...
Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare- Act 3 Scene Summaries 2024
Act 3, Scene 1:
The scene opens with Mercutio and Benvolio. Benvolio wants to go home to avoid a
fight, but Mercutio wants to stay. He jokes with Benvolio, sarcastically describing him as
extremely aggressive and a fighter. Tybalt enters and confronts them, asking Mercutio if he is
friends with Romeo. Mercutio makes a joke of this and tries to provoke Tybalt. Benvolio
suggests they move the argument somewhere private, but Mercutio refuses. Romeo enters and
Tybalt calls him a villain. He wants revenge because he saw Romeo at the Capulet party. Romeo
refuses to fight back against Tybalt, as Tybalt is now his cousin because of his marriage to Juliet.
Mercutio abhors Romeo’s weak submission and challenges Tybalt himself. They fight, but when
Romeo tries to come between them, Tybalt stabs Mercutio under Romeo’s arm. In his final
moments of life, Mercutio curses the Montague and Capulet houses for their feud, which was the
reason for his death. Romeo says that Juliet’s love has made him effeminate and soft. Blinded by
revenge and guilt, Romeo kills Tybalt. Benvolio warns him that the Prince will sentence him to
death, and Romeo runs away. Benvolio recounts the situation to the Prince, who decides that
Romeo will be banished for his crime rather than killed, as he killed Tybalt in revenge.
Act 3, Scene 2:
The scene opens with Juliet alone waiting for Romeo to come to her room after their
marriage. She has a long, impatient monologue asking Romeo to ascend her chamber.
Eventually, the Nurse enters with the cords to make a ladder for Romeo, and Juliet immediately
asks her for news. Juliet notices the Nurse’s anxious condition and asks what the matter is. The
Nurse reveals to Juliet that Tybalt is dead. Juliet is devastated and compares her situation to the
torture of hell. Juliet and the Nurse weep and reminisce about Tybalt’s redeeming qualities,
calling him a courteous gentleman and the best friend the Nurse had. Juliet asks if Romeo is
killed, and the Nurse tells her he is banished, and that Romeo was in fact the one who killed him.
Juliet is appalled that such a beautiful face could hide such deceit and tyranny. However, soon
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